1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to pump stand inserts for sump pump containers or sump liners which are sub-floor reservoirs for the reception of ground water which seeps into basements or other subterranean rooms. Generally the water is channeled to the sump reservoir and then pumped therefrom by a sump pump via a discharge conduit to an exterior location.
2. Description of the State of the Art:
Sump pump containers or sump liners are designed for use in water control systems of the types disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,313, 5,501,044, and 5,927,955 for example.
In such systems, the sump pump container is a reservoir for the reception of the water seepage which is channeled thereto, and the conventional sump pump contained therewithin includes a water-level actuated lever arm switch which energizes the pump to discharge the water from the container whenever the water level reaches a predetermined height, as sensed by a float attached to the lever arm.
The size of the sump pumps incorporated within the sump liner container will vary depending upon the requirements of different installations and/or whether a battery-operated secondary pump is included to assure evacuation in the event of a power failure. If the sump pumps are too close to each other on the inner floor of the container their lever arms and floats can engage each other, the other pump, or the wall of the container and become inoperative. In such cases the container fills and overflows into the basement before the occupant becomes aware that a problem exists, unless the system is provided with a water level-sensing alarm as disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,313.
In the case of conventional sump containers for holding two sump pumps, generally an AC-powered pump and a battery-operated pump, the diameter of the floor of the container may be too small to receive two pumps, side-by-side, without interference with each other and/or with the wall of the container.
It is known to incorporate a sump pump stand in a sump basket to elevate the pump above the floor of the basket to prevent mud and debris from entering the pump, and reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,930 for its disclosure of such a pump stand. The pump stand of the reference is integral, has a sloped platform provided with circumferential openings, a central opening, supports for supporting the sump pump on the sloped platform, and legs for supporting the stand on the floor of the container basket.